Powder Valley's Kellee Dixon dribbles up the court against St. Paul during the third-place game in the Class 1A state girls basketball tournament March 2, 2024, at Baker High School. The Badgers beat St. Paul, 51-44.

BAKER CITY — Powder Valley used one of its patented rallies to overcome a slow start and top St. Paul, 51-44, to claim the third-place trophy at the Class 1A state girls basketball tournament Saturday, March 2, at Baker High School.

Trailing 19-10 early in the second quarter after St. Paul’s Gracie Koch made her third 3-pointer, the Badgers scored the next 10 points to regain the lead at 20-19.

After St. Paul led 24-22, Powder’s Nevaeh Schuldt made a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left in the half to give the Badgers a 25-24 lead, and Ayla Bingham stole the inbounds pass and scored with a second left.

Powder Valley never trailed in the second half.

St. Paul got as close as 35-32 with 1:19 left in the third quarter, but Kellee Dixon, who led the Badgers with 16 points, scored, and Schuldt made two free throws to boost the lead to 39-32 after three quarters.

The lead swelled to as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter.

Jodi Bingham scored 10 points for the Badgers, Ayla Bingham added eight points and Jaycee Gray had six.

Powder Valley finished the season with a 23-7 record and wins in 15 of its final 16 games. The only loss during that period was 60-44 in a semifinal against North Douglas on March 1.

The Badgers, seeking their first state title since 2006, were just eight minutes away from clinching a spot in the championship game, leading North Douglas 42-40 entering the final quarter. But the Badgers went scoreless for more than seven minutes.

North Douglas, meanwhile, scored 16 straight points to take control. The Warriors outscored Powder Valley 20-2 in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 16-14 after one quarter, Powder Valley took the lead at 25-24 on Schuldt’s basket with 2:35 left in the second quarter and continued to lead, by as many as seven points, until the early part of the fourth quarter. The Badgers led 32-26 at halftime, and 42-40 after three quarters.

Jodi Bingham led Powder Valley with 15 points. Dixon had 8 points and a game-high 18 rebounds, including 11 on the offensive end.